Citing a few examples, tool support means are here understood to be a spindle, a chuck, a drilling tool, or the like, in particular a tool holder in accordance with DIN 69 880, July 1990, such as is known in actual use in a multitude of embodiments for fixed and rotating tools. Tool holders with collet chuck receivers are also a part of this, wherein the tapering bore of the collet chuck receiver is used as the receiving bore within the meaning of the present invention. Examples of tool supports with collet chucks are described, for example, in German Utility Model 90 03730, in EP 0 416601 B1 and in DE 199 58 461 C1.
In actual use, automatic tool changing systems are employed, particularly for tool changes in CNC processing centers, automatic lathes and milling machines, and the like, which perform a quick tool change and thereby reduce idle times to a minimum. Such tool changing systems often operate with so-called quick-action change inserts, in which the respective tool is received accurate to size and which are inserted in the course of a tool change into a tool receiver, for example a work spindle, in which they are clamped with close tolerances, so that a high degree of work accuracy results when the tool is employed. Quick-acting change inserts for screw taps are described, for example, in DIN 6393, February 1993. In many cases the clamping of the quick-action change insert in the associated receiver of the work spindle is performed centrally from the side opposite the tool by means of a threaded spindle, which is arranged in a appropriate bore of the work spindle. Such central tool clamping by means of a threaded spindle is also widely used in cases in which a tool is directly inserted with its clamping shaft into a corresponding receiver of a work spindle or the like.
But central clamping from behind is not possible, for example in connection with tool holders which are arranged, placed closely next to each other, on the turret disk of a tool turret. Occasionally there are also cases of application in which the use of a quick-action change insert would be desirable per se, but where an automatic tool change is not possible for reasons of system technology.